Thursday, August 12, 2010

We received a very encouraging note from YWAM Ethiopia today {from the Gimbie orphanage}: "Change in the babies since they have been getting regular formula is astounding. Growth, chubbiness, more energy, more smiles, better health!" PRAISE THE LORD!!! YOU are making a HUGE difference by giving to Into the Streets of Ethiopia! Babies are being fed and lives are being changed for the glory of God! Don't stop giving, they need you! 120 pounds of life-saving formula was shipped yesterday to the 4 YWAM orphanages that Into the Streets supports. PLEASE pray for safe delivery.

"We don't want to simply meet a temporary need but exalt the glory of Christ, expressing the gospel of Christ thru radical generosity." David Platt

One of the many ways God has blessed Adoption Ministry is through our partnerships with other ministries with the same passion - to meet the needs of Ethiopia’s widows and orphans. Recently, we’ve linked arms with “Into The Streets Of Ethiopia” which is a wonderful ministry asking God to show them where they might provide support in the form of finances and practical helps to the children of Ethiopia.

Tulio and Kara Portilla were very much like many of us – busy raising a family, involved in ministry, living life. Then, in February of 2008, God led them to do something that was quite ‘out of the box’ – they were to adopt a little girl from Ethiopia. During that process, God challenged them to begin leading their family in a “no regrets” lifestyle. Their trip to that country in July 2009 to bring their daughter home only reinforced that call. God began to make real to them the fact that they too are adopted – into His family – and they were forever changed.

They came home knowing their mission was to aid vulnerable children in Ethiopia. As they prayed, they also began doing research on how to create a 501(c)(3) non-profit so that they could support ministries already working in Ethiopia who were reaching out to needy children. “Into The Streets Of Ethiopia” was born!

Adoption Ministry’s connection with the Portillas was truly a God thing! You may have seen links here on our blog to the We Are THAT Family blog, which is written by Kara’s twin sister Kristen. After a trip with Compassion International to Kenya, Kristen’s heart was touched for the people of Africa. She read about our need for formula in our orphanages and immediately thought of her sister’s ministry. One thing led to another and now we are receiving financial donations from Into the Streets of Ethiopia to provide formula and to cover some of the cost of shipping it monthly to our orphanages. A beautiful partnership has begun! We look forward to working with them in many more areas of ministry to the children of Ethiopia.

Right now, through the generosity of a wonderful donor, Adoption Ministry pays for one case of formula per month to be shipped to Ethiopia – and that is not nearly enough! So Dinah Monahan’s “Clothing is Optional – Formula is Life” program has been sending 50 lbs. of formula (or a gift card to purchase it) with every one of our adopting families traveling to Ethiopia for their court and embassy dates, as well as with the mission teams who travel with us. Part of the money that would come from Into the Streets of Ethiopia will be used to cover shipping costs or for the purchase of the formula itself. Our goal is to ship one case per week to each of our four orphanages. That’s 16 cases each month and would cost about $1500 monthly.

God’s ways are absolutely amazing! He is linking together people and ministries who have His heart for the vulnerable and needy children in Ethiopia. We are so grateful to Him and to people like the Portillas and the Monahans. If you would like to donate to bring formula to abandoned babies in Ethiopia, go to the website here: Into The Streets Of Ethiopia